Treasure Island

“The best thing about being in a panto, is the prerogative to have some fun” sing the ladies of the Smugglers Cove Women’s Institute, in Garrick Theatre’s pantomime Treasure Island. The same thing can be said of being in the audience of a pantomime, especially one that is as nicely produced, well performed and funny as this one.

The song mentioned was a last minute parody substitution, when faced with the rights delays that many companies are facing with music at the moment - but it fits the spirit and self-awareness of Ben Crocker’s delightful script beautifully. Songs are well performed throughout, backed by Musical Director Christopher Steicke (who also sings), Leanne van Heerwaarden and Kieran Ridgeway.

This is a large cast production and they have been squeezed onto the little Garrick stage with some clever blocking by director Douglas Sutherland-Bruce. Twelve different locales are nicely created and there is some lovely costuming from Sally Forbes, making a debut as Wardrobe Mistress.

Olivia Fellows is a charming, confident Principal Boy, with fabulous facial expression, as Jim Hawkins, working beautifully with onstage mum, and delightful Dame, Gavin Crane as Mrs Hawkins. Katelyn Barr is a sweet, but self-assured and independent love interest and Principal Girl, Jenny Trelawney, with Ken Harris completing our quartet of heroes as her well-meaning but behind-the-times dad, Squire Trelawney. This might be traditional pantomime, but it has modern values.

Rob McConnell plays the villainous Long John Silver with lovely swagger, stirring up the audience nicely. He is well supported by a wonderful band of misfit pirates including Graham Miles, making a welcome return to the stage as Gizzard Slitter, Russell Fellows strong as Blood Boiler and Karen Cleave getting some great laughs as The Fridge.

Our chief comic characters are Polly MacCaw, an ageing Scottish parrot - superbly played by Fiona Forster, and pirates Seadog Dilly and Seaweed Willy, played by siblings Bailey O’Hehir and Niamh O’Hehir, as a clever comic duo. The sing-a-long led by these three is great fun.

The Ladies of the Smugglers Cove Women’s Institute provide a lovely insight into the life of the women in the chorus, and are given plenty of agency as they too become pirates. Beautifully led by Melanie Coopes as Mrs Davina Henderson, Michelle Hedge brings lovely spark as Miss Doris Normington, with lots of spunk and personality from Georgia Wilson, Caitlyn Maloney, Sami Compton, Mia Fellows (also lovely as Kittie the Maid) and Sophie David (pulling triple duty as choreographer and chorus mistress). 

Devlin Turbin pulls a fun doubling as Billy Bones and Bruce Gunn (the latter role being worth the wait), Peter Sullivan’s Captain Bloodheart was great fun, and the cast was completed by Kody Fellowes, whose turn in the opening number set the standard for the show. Lovely to see a cast where every role was played with verve and all of the team understood pantomime.

Great fun for all ages, Treasure Island is truly a treasure of a pantomime.

Kimberley Shaw